Are you a comedy fan?
The Joke Gym happens in the back room at Zapata Vive at 7 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of the month. Bring your friends for a great evening of anything-goes comedy.
Are you a comedian?
Thanks to the 375+ comics who have performed at The Joke Gym, our open mic has become very popular. Performers come from Riverside, Long Beach, Orange County and the San Fernando Valley for their five minutes of Joke Gym love.
SIGN UP FOR A SPOT VIA LOTTERY
The Joke Gym spots are determined by lottery.
• At 6:30, we start collecting intro cards.
It does not matter if you arrived at 6:29 p.m., or 4:15 p.m., or if you've been camping out on the sidewalk since the last show.Everyone has an equal chance of getting a spot. Do not submit an intro card for a friend who is parking the car or "on the way."• At 6:45ish, we'll draw 20 names.
Those comics will get 5-minute spots, in the order drawn. (Each producer gets a spot because it's our show, darn it.)If you want an earlier or later spot, find a comic who is willing to trade with you—before the show starts.
If we have a lot of comics in the house, we might draw a few additional names and start the show early.
• At 7 p.m. we'll start the show.
Lots of energy, lots of new material, and a 9 p.m wrap-up. Feel free to bring your notes, tape recorder and water on stage. You are welcome to video your own set, but do not record anyone else without their permission.
SUPPORT OUR VENUE
Please purchase a beverage or food to support our venue.We won't get bumped for a group of paying customers if we are paying customers. Without a free venue, we have no show. Support Zapata Vive!
WORK OUT NEW MATERIAL
We call our open mic The Joke Gym for a good reason: it's a friendly, supportive place to work out new material. The emphasis on "new."
Sure, you can use your five minutes any way you want, but doing new material and fine-tuning jokes is what open mics are made for.
RESPECT THE LIGHT
Our big red light goes on (solid red) when you have 1 minute left.
It starts flashing when your time is up.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND
The Joke Gym is produced by comedians, for comedians. We do not make money on this show, and in fact have spent money on equipment and supplies. We want it to be the best open mic experience possible, for both novices and working professionals.
GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK
If you have ideas or suggestions, please email The Joke Gym (Both Scott and Paula will see your message.)